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Election Observation Handbook, Sixth Edition, 2010

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Election Observation Handbook, Sixth Edition, 2010 Election Observation Handbook Sixth edition Election Observation Handbook Sixth edition ODIHR Published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) Al. Ujazdowskie 19, 00-557 Warsaw, Poland www.osce.org/odihr © OSCE/ODIHR 2010 All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may be freely used and copied for educational and other non-commercial purposes, provided that any such reproduction is accompanied by an acknowledgement of the OSCE/ODIHR as the source. ISBN 978-92-9234-778-9 Cover photograph by Urdur Gunnarsdottir Designed by Nona Reuter Printed in Poland by Poligrafus Andrzej Adamiak Election Observation Handbook Sixth edition Contents Election-Activity Acronyms 6 Foreword 7 1. Introduction 9 2. Background to International Election Observation 13 3. OSCE Commitments and Other International Standards for Democratic Elections 17 4. Assessing the Conditions and Needs for Election-Related Activities 25 5. Responding to the Needs of OSCE Participating States 29 6. The Structure of an ODIHR Election Observation Mission 37 7. Observing the Pre-Election Period 49 8. Observing Election Day 69 9. Observing the Vote Count and Tabulation 79 10. Reporting, Debriefing and Statements 83 11. Post-Election Observation 87 12. Closing Down the Mission 91 13. Partnerships 93 14. The Final Report 95 15. Follow-Up 97 Annexes 99 Annex A: OSCE Commitments on Elections 100 Annex B: Sample Observation Forms for Voting 109 Annex C: Glossary of Terms 116 Annex D: OSCE/ODIHR Publications Related to Elections 120 Election Observation Handbook 5 Election-Activity Acronyms EAM Election assessment mission EOM Election observation mission LEOM Limited election observation mission LTO Long-term observer NAM Needs assessment mission STO Short-term observer 6 Election Observation Handbook Foreword Election observation is a key component of the work the Organization for Security and Co- operation in Europe (OSCE) does to promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law across Europe, Central Asia and North America. The OSCE’s 56 participating States have assigned special importance to the holding of demo- cratic elections. In the landmark 1990 Copenhagen Document, they declared that “the will of the people, freely and fairly expressed through periodic and genuine elections, is the basis of the authority and legitimacy of all government.” Moreover, the participating States agreed in Copenhagen on a range of commitments specifying in hitherto unprecedented detail what is required if an election is to be considered genuinely democratic. The key principles laid down in these commitments can be summed up in seven words: uni- versal, equal, fair, secret, free, transparent and accountable. Promoting elections organized in line with these principles is a crucial aspect of the OSCE’s work in what has become to be known as the human dimension of security. The OSCE’s com- prehensive security concept, dating back to the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, considers the human dimension of security — the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, democratic institutions and the rule of law — to be as important for the mainte- nance of peace and stability as the politico-military or economic dimensions of security. In line with this conviction, participating States have acknowledged that violations of com- mitments for democratic elections can endanger stability in the OSCE region. The Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) was created by participat- ing States to assist them in implementing their human dimension commitments, including those related to elections. As part of this assistance, participating States tasked ODIHR to monitor elections in the OSCE region — before during and after election day — and to assess their compliance with election-related commitments. ODIHR was also asked by participating States, at the 1994 Budapest Summit, to develop a handbook for election monitors in order to enhance election monitoring preparations and procedures. The result was the first edition of ODIHR’s Election Observation Handbook, pub- lished in 1996. Election Observation Handbook 7 The handbook was developed, first and foremost, as a practical guide for members of elec- tion observation missions. At the same time, it has become a major reference document for ODIHR’s election observation methodology and, as such, has also inspired other observ- er groups, both domestic and international, in developing their own election observation capacity. ODIHR’s election observation methodology has evolved over the years to reflect the experi- ence gained from observing or assessing a total of more than 230 elections, leading to the development of an ever more-refined approach to observing or assessing elections in differ- ent circumstances and responding to varying needs. A long-term, comprehensive, consistent and systematic election observation methodology has become the bedrock of ODIHR’s cred- ibility in this field. In December 2006, the OSCE Ministerial Council tasked ODIHR to “further strengthen the ob- servation methodology” and “to give utmost attention to the independence, impartiality and professionalism” of its election observation activities. Accordingly, five years after the last edition was published, and on the 20th anniversary of the Copenhagen Document, ODIHR is pleased to present this, the handbook’s sixth edition. This volume is the result of a thor- ough review, taking into account the advances ODIHR has made in further developing its methodology. The new edition takes account of developments in field practices that have evolved since 2005, such as those for observing new voting technologies and an increased emphasis on the observation of post-election developments. It includes details on how ODIHR has tailored its election-related activities to needs that have been identified in order to best assist partici- pating States with the resources available. As such, this edition of the Handbook provides an overview of the different formats that ODIHR can employ when undertaking election-relat- ed activities, including election observation missions, limited election observation missions, election assessment missions and expert teams. Finally it also elaborates on follow-up to ODIHR election-related recommendations, as well as on media and statistical analysis. I am confident that this most recent update will ensure that the handbook remains a useful and relevant tool for members of election observation missions and all those interested in election monitoring. It will serve as a practical guide for ODIHR’s election observation activi- ties and will help us to conduct our monitoring work with the highest degree of consistency and professionalism, in line with our mandate. I wish to thank the thousands of election observers and experts who, through their work and valuable feedback, have helped us tremendously in putting this handbook together. Ambassador Janez Lenarčič ODIHR Director 8 Election Observation Handbook 1 TTIR O D S NNAR U R G U OSCE/URD Introduction 1.1 About the ODIHR Election Observation Handbook This handbook sets out the ODIHR’s observation methodology and serves as a reference for all ODIHR election observers.1 It informs the OSCE community at large, including gov- ernments of participating States, political parties, candidates, voters, media and civil society, as well as other international organizations, about the basis for the planning, deployment and implementation of and follow-up to an election observation mission (EOM). Further, it elaborates the process by which elections in OSCE participating States are assessed for their compliance with the Organization’s election-related commitments, other international stan- dards for democratic elections2 and national legislation. Although ODIHR’s methodology has not been altered fundamentally since the first release of the handbook, in 1996, this sixth edition benefits from the knowledge and practical experi- 1 More-detailed and specialized guidance for members of election observation missions is available in a number of other ODIHR publications, including the Handbook for Long-Term Observers, Handbook for Monitoring Women’s Participation in Elections, Guidelines for Reviewing a Legal Framework for Elections (a revised version is forthcoming), Guidelines to Assist National Minority Participation in the Electoral Process, and the Handbook on Resolving Election Dis- putes in the OSCE Area, as well as Existing Commitments for Democratic Elections in OSCE Participating States. All of these publications are available either in hard copy from ODIHR or electronically on the ODIHR website: <http://www.osce.org/odihr>. Furthermore, observer handbooks are forthcoming on media monitoring during elections, participation by national minorities in electoral processes, observing registration of voters and electronic voting. 2 For the purpose of this handbook, “other international standards” are defined as election-related universal and regional treaty standards found, for instance, in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the Convention on the Standards of Democratic Elections, Electoral Rights and Freedom in the Commonwealth of Independent States, as well as non-treaty standards found, for instance, in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other political declarations, and general comments by the United Nations Human Rights Committee. Election Observation Handbook 9 ence accumulated
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